everyone likes eating cake

Breaking Down The Mastodon

For me, it moved along at a clipped pace, quickly establishing where the principal characters are after seven months, Unlike other shows where they simply show a montage, it reminded us what was important to these people -- for Booth, his son (quite a heavy hand there, Show, with the "this wouldn't have happened if his father was here instead of fighting someone else's war" jibe); for Cam, her job; for Brennan, the search for that elusive truth. The case itself was nothing to write home about, except for the part where they finally rescue someone ALIVE instead of declaring someone dead. Also - Brennan with a baby! :D

I'm also part of the group that actually found the mastodon in the room really funny. It's the kind of absurd humor that the show indulges in -- it knows that the hardcore viewers are going to view it as some sort of metaphor, but really, going the literal route makes it the source of endless giggles. And yes, I know all about the "elephant in the room" and what the metaphorical elephant (or mastodon, in this case), but *snort* it really is funny.

The Team

Awww, Caroline as the linchpin! I thought that was very apt, especially since we don't get enough Caroline love in the show. I also thought that it's rather adorable that we saw a different side of everyone else -- not different like the S4 finale, but simply a different side of everyone. How Daisy acknowledged that her blind following of Brennan cost her Sweets; how Wendell got down and dirty (unf, wifebeater!); what happened to the other squinterns. In fact, the show actually USED the word "squinterns", which made me grin. Interrogation room, how I missed you! Car scenes! The Royal Diner! Parker and pancakes! Ah the little stuff that surrounds the show are made of win.

I think that Cam's outburst was totally within her right. She was left to pick up the pieces while everyone attempted to run away from their emotions, find themselves in other pursuits, or did their duty to their country. She had to deal with the Jeffersonian closing down the Medico-Legal lab (which kinda shows us how important Brennan is, really, to the head honchos), and basically be the one who had to keep everything together. And she's right in blaming Brennan - I think it shows that even Brennan's actions has consequences now. Before, I think, she (Bren) used to be able to just up and leave her life because she refused to form any important social connections. But now she has her family, both literal and metaphorical, and she has Booth, and now we're seeing the fallout of her decision to simply up and leave for Maluku.

And how cute is Hodgins and Angela? Awesomely cute, yeah? I thought so too. Hodgins is all "let's get this crime-fighting on the road" and "yay I am gonna be a dad!" and Angie's all "aww we're metaphorical sisters Bren" and hugs and warm fuzzy feelings. If anyone's gonna make it work, it will be these two. So happy for them. (And Show, don't even THINK about making Angie lose the baby, or I tell you, someone's gonna get a whacking.)

Booth and Brennan

Ah, where to start? I missed kick-ass!Brennan, and I'm glad that she acknowledges that she only allows her fears to surface whenever Booth is around. (Massive trust exercise there, Dr. B!) Booth in fatigues is always awesomely sexy. And I loved how Brennan seemed to have opened up more, and yet still remained the same slightly oblivious forensic anthropologist we all know and love. How she's the only one who never complained about the dinky morgue, that she uses things like drink glasses as magnifying lenses, that she seemed to have opened up about her emotions -- her "I feel" phrases and her candid admission that she "dreamed" about Booth, that she missed being in the car and bantering with him. Our little girl is growing up.

Booth, on the other hand -- hmm. He looks a lot more haggard, a lot older. I think I read somewhere that it's not easy to tell anymore the line between Booth and DB, and that it seems like his personal issues are slowly seeping into the character. For me, he feels slightly off-kilter -- he's trying too hard and the cracks are showing. His smile doesn't reach his eyes anymore. The awesome one-liners aren't there anymore. And that scene with Sweets in the interrogation room -- I think that was the most truthful thing that Booth's said to anyone. It was a chance to be happy, the painful realization of moving on. Except… Brennan hugs him, her eyes sparkle despite his insistence that he's "as serious as a heart attack" with Hannah, and she decides to stay instead of returning to Maluku. And you can see that he's starting to weigh this against Hannah. Even her throwaway line -- "You also arrested me once" --reminds him that he has history with this woman in ways that no-one else could ever compare. And I think that that's the crux of his conflict: he still believes that he could have that perfect married life with SOMEONE, with the white picket fence and the 2.5 children, the family dog. But the thing is, he doesn't see that he isn't meant to have that anymore -- he doesn't belong in the suburbs, mowing the lawn and participating in Fourth of July barbecues with the neighbors. He's too damaged for that, and not everyone can understand that or tolerate that. I also think PTSD will come into play here, and it will explain a lot of Booth's actions. I only hope he's not too stubborn not to heed advice.

Conclusions?

I'm not as negative towards Hannah as I initially was -- I think she'll provide a dynamic between B&B that will bring them closer together, rather than apart. I'm just amused at fandom's reactions towards her: were we this angry at Sully? Or is it because now, the stakes are raised? In S2, Sully was the one who chose to leave, and we only had glimmers of the potential between B&B. In S6, Hannah is the one who chooses to look for Booth, who comes to DC and decides to give this relationship a try -- this, after Booth's declaration of love to Brennan, after the gamut of S4 and S5, where we just knew something was happening between our favorite crime-solving duo. So yeah, it should be an interesting ride.

My only hope is that it resolves itself in a satisfying manner -- I'd hate to see this show go to waste simply because the writers weren't wearing their thinking caps on straight, or because there's some dispute with the actors themselves. Also, more Emily and David goodness, please! I'm tired of seeing them interviewed apart.

Soooooooo… comments? Your own thoughts?

PS - Sorry people on my FL who have no idea what I'm talking about. Simply carry on with your lives. :)

Well, I for one am glad you posted the link to your reaction post at bones_ga, otherwise I wouldn't have known it existed *g* It was a very interesting read, and raises plenty of points to consider

I agree with most of what you said.....yes, yes, you can hear a caveat, LOL I am not so sure about the part where you say that DB's life might be seeping into the character. I'm not saying it's not, just that it's probably too early to tell. I totally agree with you that Booth felt slightly off-kilter here, but that would make sense character-wise. He just came back from war (I'm completely with you on the PTSD thing btw) and he's left the woman he's in love with behind. Not only that, but he's meeting with the one who's totally broken his heart not even a year ago. There's this sense that he doesn't quite know where he stands/should be standing in the order of things professionally (the discussion about the lynchpin, the mixed messages he sends re: Brennan staying or going back to the Maluku Islands, and therefore whether or not their partnership still stands, etc.) and emotionally - can he really be around the woman he knows, in his heart of hearts, is The One and still move on regardless? I think it's only right that he seemed tensed and apprehensive throughout the episode

PS: I've only watched it in full once, and early this morning at that (living in Europe and all that :p) so I may see what you did more upon rewatching ;-)

PS2: Can I link to you when I post my own reaction post (I'd expect tonight or sometime tomorrow)?

Sure, feel free to link this! I generally don't write in my LJ anymore, but this felt like it had to be written. The DB part is purely speculation on my part, but have you noticed that they weren't seen together after Comic-Con? I find that rather odd. And while I admire his dedication to his family and making things work, I also miss the banter that ED and DB had behind the scenes.

Also, I think you're totally on the mark with Booth's character:

There's this sense that he doesn't quite know where he stands/should be standing in the order of things professionally (the discussion about the lynchpin, the mixed messages he sends re: Brennan staying or going back to the Maluku Islands, and therefore whether or not their partnership still stands, etc.) and emotionally - can he really be around the woman he knows, in his heart of hearts, is The One and still move on regardless

I absolutely agree with you on everything you just said.Brennan has grown so, SO much. It is especially notable if one has been watching the whole series this summer (Dissertation stress, I needed some happy Bones time). And I do think that she will be the most interesting character to watch this season, already we got to see that how she functions in a changed environment. I am just so exited!.

Thank you! :) Yeah, I also marathoned S5 and picked up the DVD box sets of 1-4, and I agree with you. S1 Brennan would never want to hug Caroline or tell Booth that she dreamed about him. She would've whacked him with her baseball bat instead.

I don't want to be a creeper or anything, seeing as I don't know you, but I just stumbled across this and wanted to comment on something you said. I hope that you do not mind.

"Also, more Emily and David goodness, please! I'm tired of seeing them interviewed apart." This. I agree with everything else in this post but this especially. However, I'm pretty sure that if an interviewer wants his (or her) questions answered, these two have to be separated. They do have a tendency of taking over. They start talking to each other and seemingly find themselves in their own little world, and inadvertently leave the interviewer behind and struggling to get a word in. Hmm, remind you of any particular characters? :)